This Week in DVD is a column that compiles all the latest info regarding new DVD releases, sales, and exclusive deals from stores including Target, Best Buy, Circuit City, and Fry’s.

Please don’t take the commentary on the movies and TV shows too seriously, as they’re meant not to be reviews but rather previews that include the general thoughts and ramblings of a twice-committed DVD addict. The categories represent solely the author’s intentions towards the DVDs at hand, and are in no way meant to be a reflection on what he thinks other people should rent or buy. So if he ends up putting a movie you like in the “Skip it” section without having seen it, please keep in mind that the time you could spend leaving a spiteful but ultimately futile comment could instead be used for more pleasant things in life. Like buying DVDs.

GENERATION KILL “From the creator of The Wire.” That’s all I need to hear to convince me to blind-buy this set, and this is coming from somebody who has blind-bought less than five movies/TV shows his entire life. This time around, David Simon tackles the Iraq war, and although I’ve grown a little tired of all the recent films that have attempted (and mostly failed) to accurately depict the subject, I’m looking forward to seeing if Simon has managed to imbue the same harsh realism and poignancy in this HBO series as he did for The Wire. Stay tuned to future /Filmcast episodes to find out.Blu-ray? No.Notable Extras: Commentary (from creators David Simon and Ed Burns, and from the author Evan Wright), Eric Ladin’s Video Diaries, and featurettes (‘Making Generation Kill’, ‘Generation Kill: A Conversation with the 1st Recon Marines’).

AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE (VOL. 6) Many Aqua Teen fans have commented that season 5 (aka Vol. 6) of Aqua Teen is the show’s worst outing to date. I would take their word for it, but I seem to recall similar complaints about season 4 (aka Vol. 5) and even the Aqua Teen movie, both of which I later ended up loving. Is it actually possible that some people out there are over-analyzing a TV show that features a talking milkshake and meatball? I’ll let you be the judge.Blu-ray? No.Notable Extras: Carl’s sports blogs, 15-minute “short” Terrorphone, comedy bits/outtakes from the ATHF video game, and 3D video game cinematics from Russia.

MAMMA MIA! THE MOVIE(Available as single-disc and 2-Disc Special Edition) I want so badly to hate this movie, but after having to endure several songs on the Mamma Mia! soundtrack due to the eagerness of some of my female compatriots, I found myself forced to contend with a painful realization: I… like ABBA. Yes, it’s true. And as such, it’s only natural to assume that enjoying the movie that accompanies the songs isn’t out of the realm of possibility, regardless of whether or not my manhood is willing to accept that. But I suppose admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery, right?Blu-ray? Yes.Notable Extras: The single-disc release includes a commentary with director Phyllida Lloyd, an all-new musical number “The Name of The Game”, and a sing-along function. The 2-disc includes that, plus 3 featurettes (‘The Making of Mamma Mia!’, ‘Becoming a Singer’, ‘On Location’), Amanda Seyfried’s “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” music video, deleted scenes, outtakes, and a digital copy of the film.

TRAITOR(Releases December 19, 2008) I was pretty disappointed with this film after seeing it in theaters. It was presented as a spy thriller, but it’s really more of a drama, and a rather generic one at that. As competently made and acted as it is, there’s nothing to make it stand out against the several dozen other films that cover very much the same territory. It’s a worthwhile rental, certainly, but nothing you need to buy.Blu-ray? Yes.Notable Extras: An audio commentary and behind the scenes footage.

THE HOUSE BUNNY(Releases December 19, 2008) The only reason this movie isn’t being thrown into the “skip it” section is because I adore Anna Faris, and even if it means having to endure such a formulaic comedy as this, I’m willing to give anything she stars in a chance. Naturally, this hasn’t been working out too well for me, what with a large portion of her movie credits coming from the Scary Movie series. C’mon Anna! You deserve better than this!Blu-ray? Yes.Notable Extras: Deleted scenes and featurettes (‘Anna Faris: House Mom’, ‘Colin Hanks: Mr. Nice Guy’, ‘House Bunny Style’, ‘The Girls of Zeta’, ‘Calendar Girls’, ‘House Bunny Memories’, ‘From Song to Set: Katherine McPhee’).

THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR(Available as single-disc and 2-Disc Deluxe Edition) There comes a point in some films where you stop paying attention to what’s happening on screen and start thinking about the many more worthwhile things you could be doing with your time (like eating a bowl of nails, for instance). With The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, I experienced that point at about the scene where a group of Yetis cheer in celebration after punting a human over a Chinese temple as if they had just scored a touchdown. This is a film so unbelievably stupid, so devoid of personality, so blandly artificial, it defies all reason for existence. Even expecting the mildest sense of “dumb fun” from this piece of trash is asking way too much. It’s by far one of the worst movies I’ve seen all year.Blu-ray? Yes.Notable Extras: The two-disc includes a commentary with director Rob Cohen, deleted and extended scenes, featurettes (‘Jet Li: Crafting the Emperor Mummy’, ‘From City to Desert’, ‘Legacy of the Terra Cotta’, ‘Creating New and Supernatural Worlds’, ‘A Call to Action: The Casting Process’, ‘The Making Of Tomb of the Dragon Emperor’), and a digital copy of the film.

While Peter is on the record questioning Anna Faris‘s cute-ranking, I have continuously defended her on the site as one of the funniest chicks working in Hollywood. My first ever item for Slashfilm was shot down, even. It was to be an essay on Faris’s stoned character in Smiley Face, with a paragraph dedicated to her lime green Sex Wax t-shirt and brilliant application of zit cream. This weekend, Faris finally became a star, and the bandwagon is zooming all over the Internet.

The House Bunny, a rather quiet $25 million Happy Madison comedy, surprised at the box office, grossing $15 million this weekend for the runner-up spot behind Tropic Thunder. Sure it’s not a massive opening, but taken with her role in the Scary Movie franchise, the industry can’t ignore it. The number is being attributed to Faris’s popularity and talent, with reviews and journalists demanding she headline a worthier film. On deck this year for the actress is the comedy, Young Americans, from Fubar (!) director Michael Dowse and co-starring Michael Biehn. Not sure about that one, but next year’s Observe and Report from Jody Hill and Seth Rogen looks like a sure thing. And hopefully her passion project, the heady Linda Lovelace biopic Inferno, gets the boost it needs.

Elsewhere, the remake of Death Race floundered with $12 million. Jason Statham remains a likeable actor with high star potential that, unlike so many bit torrents, Hollywood hasn’t connected with. More on this tonight on the /Filmcast. Thankfully, Crank‘s fanbase continutes to grow. Ice Cube‘s The Longshotsbombed with $4 million. Director Fred Durst, yadda yadda. TDK is still approaching $500 mill, banking $10 mill. Pineapple Express won’t hit $100 mill. Any theories in the comments? Meanwhile, the #1 Tropic Thunder grossed $16 mill, for $65 million total in its second week. Definitely not the monster we thought it would be back in May, but for the sake of appearances, it’ll do.

There are sometimes when a movie looks bad, but there are other times when a movie looks horrible. The House Bunny is a case of option B. Is there some kind of rule in Anna Faris‘ contract which only allows her to take on horrible movies? Or maybe she’s just getting a lot of bad advice from her agent and friends (which was actually parodied in the tv show Entourage with Faris playing herself). And is it just me or is Anna Faris not as cute as she use to be? The movie also stars Colin Hanks, which makes me wonder what kind of advice his father Tom has given him over the years. You would think that nepotism would get him some decent movie roles eventually, right?

It’s Legally Blonde meets The Girls Next Door. In The House Bunny, Faris plays “Shelly, a Playboy bunny, who is tossed out of the mansion and has nowhere to go until she falls in with the sorority girls from Zeta Alpha Zeta. Shelley teaches this awkward sorority about the opposite sex â€“ only to learn that what boys really like is what’s on the inside.”

Check out the trailer after the jump and tell me what you think in the comments below.Read More »